Buttigieg, U.S. Transportation Secretary Nominee, Says "Millions of Electric Vehicles Must Be Deployed in the U.S."

by Paek Jongmin

Published 23 Dec.2020 09:52(KST)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] Pete Buttigieg, former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, who has been nominated as the next U.S. Secretary of Transportation under the Biden administration, has drawn attention by expressing his intention to expand the adoption of electric vehicles to address climate change.

On the 22nd (local time), Buttigieg posted on Twitter, stating, "To tackle the climate crisis, we must put millions of new electric vehicles on American roads." He also emphasized, "It is time to build public charging infrastructure powered by clean energy and make it accessible in every region of this country." Buttigieg added, "Unlike tax cuts for the wealthy, investments in infrastructure actually pay off in the long run, and Americans are ready to do more."

There have been expectations that Buttigieg, as a nominee, would apply the issue of climate change?one of President-elect Biden's top priorities?to the Department of Transportation's work. In other words, he has identified the automotive sector as a target.

During the last presidential election, President-elect Biden declared plans to encourage electric vehicle purchases, including installing 500,000 new public charging stations by the end of 2030. Regarding Buttigieg's remarks, the political media outlet The Hill reported, "Nominee Buttigieg has previewed potential agendas as Secretary of Transportation."

This approach by the next U.S. Secretary of Transportation is expected to impact South Korea's automotive industry as well. The South Korean government is already promoting the distribution of eco-friendly vehicles such as electric and hydrogen cars as a key project, and Hyundai Motor Company has announced plans to make next year the first year of its electric vehicle leap.